Armstrong Atlantic State announces hall of fame class of 2013

Kristin Burton, an All-America women's soccer player at Armstrong Atlantic State University, will be inducted into the college's athletic hall of fame in 2013. Photo courtesy Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong Atlantic State University has announced the 2013 induction class for the Armstrong Athletic Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame selection committee has chosen four inductees and one Service Citation award winner.

The 2013 induction class includes: women’s soccer player Kristin Burton, men’s basketball player Mike Pringle, softball player Stacey Richardson (Haynes) and women’s tennis player Iuliia Stupak (Sherrod). Former Armstrong physical education professor and coach George Bedwell also has been honored with the Service Citation Award.

“The Armstrong Athletics Hall of Fame has added another outstanding class to its already exceptional ranks,” Armstrong Director of Athletics Lisa Sweany said. “I know the committee’s task is a difficult one but once again thank them on an excellent job in choosing this year’s class. I look forward to meeting the newest inductees, as well as all Hall of Fame members, in our February induction ceremony.”

The 2013 class will be inducted on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Armstrong Atlantic State University Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at the Armstrong Student Union. There will be a social hour with the inductees beginning at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are available to the general public for $25 each. Contact Michael Smoose at 912-344-3236 for ticket information.

The Peach Belt Conference’s all-time leader in goals scored (95) and points scored (225), Burton was a three-time PBC Player of the Year during her career and a four-time All-America, as well as the first three-time Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America in Armstrong athletics history. The Ocala, Fla., native ranks seventh all-time in NCAA Division II history in goals scored and eighth in points. She is the first inductee from the Armstrong women’s soccer program, which began competition in 2005.

Pringle starred for the “Runnin’ Pirates” for two seasons from 1978-80, earning All-America honors both years for Armstrong. As a junior, Pringle averaged a team-high 19.6 points per game, earning fourth-team All-American honors from the NABC and Basketball Weekly as well as becoming the first Pirate to earn the Atlanta TipOff Club Georgia Player of the Year award. As a senior, the Belle Glade, Fla., native averaged 16.0 points per game, earning honorable mention All-America honors from the NABC. His career 17.8 points per game average still ranks seventh in Armstrong basketball history.

Softball slugger

A three-year standout for the Armstrong softball team, Richardson slugged 39 home runs in three seasons from 2002-04 and set the Armstrong single-season home run record in 2002, leading the nation in home runs per game that season. An NFCA second-team All-America in 2002 and 2003, Richardson also earned All-Peach Belt Conference honors all three seasons with the Pirates after transferring from the University of Georgia. The Dalton native still ranks among the top 5 in Armstrong softball history in batting average, home runs, RBIs and walks.

Also a three-year standout for Armstrong, Stupak earned ITA All-America honors in singles and doubles for the Pirates each year from 2006-08, finishing the 2007 and ’08 seasons as the No. 1-ranked singles player in NCAA Division II. A two-time PBC Player of the Year, the Kiev, Ukraine, native was the ITA’s National “Player to Watch” in 2006 and the ITA National Senior of the Year in 2008, helping guide the Pirates to the 2008 NCAA Division II National Championship.

Longtime Pirate

Former Armstrong professor, coach and administrator, Bedwell began a long association with the Pirates first as a coach of men’s tennis and baseball in the late 1960s while also teaching in the school’s physical education department. He was the first recipient of the Dean Propst Outstanding Faculty Award in 1971, and Bedwell continued to give his time and effort to Armstrong athletics through his duties as a professor, then as facilities director leading up to his retirement from Armstrong in 2008. The Birmingham, Ala., native passed away in September 2011 at age 74.

These four inductees plus the Service Citation award winner bring the total membership of the Armstrong Athletic Hall of Fame to 61 plus 14 Service Citation award winners. The inaugural class was inducted in 1995 and a class was inducted each year through 2004 and from 2011 through now.